The effect of AFB1 in feed on the liver and serum vitamin A and b-carotene levels and the ability of the liver to stor vitamin A in broiler chicks were investigated. Twenty day-old Ross broiler chicks were randomly allocated into 4 groups with 5 each in the control group, group I, group II, and group III. The chicks of the control group and group I were fed ad libitum on broiler chick growing feed. The chicks of group II and group III were fed ad libitum on feed with AFB1 (4 ppm/kg) feed. On the seventh day, vitamin A palmitate was administered subcutaneously at 500,000 IU to the chicks of group I and III. The experiment was continued for 21 days. On the twenty-first day, blood and liver samples were collected from the chicks. Serum and liver b-carotene and retinol levels were analysed spectrophotometrically using n-hexane extraction. The significant differences between the values obtained from the analyses were determined using Kruskal Wallis variance analysis. The differences between the groups were analysed using Duncan's test. Serum b-carotene levels in the control group, group I, II and III were 230 ± 22.1 µg/dl, 169.7 ± 15.1 µg/dl, 124.7 ± 55.7 µg/dl, and 107.5 ± 62.0 µg/dl respectively. There were significant differences in the serum b-carotene levels between the groups (p

The effect of AFB1 in feed on the liver and serum vitamin A and b-carotene levels and the ability of the liver to stor vitamin A in broiler chicks were investigated. Twenty day-old Ross broiler chicks were randomly allocated into 4 groups with 5 each in the control group, group I, group II, and group III. The chicks of the control group and group I were fed ad libitum on broiler chick growing feed. The chicks of group II and group III were fed ad libitum on feed with AFB1 (4 ppm/kg) feed. On the seventh day, vitamin A palmitate was administered subcutaneously at 500,000 IU to the chicks of group I and III. The experiment was continued for 21 days. On the twenty-first day, blood and liver samples were collected from the chicks. Serum and liver b-carotene and retinol levels were analysed spectrophotometrically using n-hexane extraction. The significant differences between the values obtained from the analyses were determined using Kruskal Wallis variance analysis. The differences between the groups were analysed using Duncan's test. Serum b-carotene levels in the control group, group I, II and III were 230 ± 22.1 µg/dl, 169.7 ± 15.1 µg/dl, 124.7 ± 55.7 µg/dl, and 107.5 ± 62.0 µg/dl respectively. There were significant differences in the serum b-carotene levels between the groups (p